Letters -- Published Nov. 13, 2012

Recently, The Record published several articles on valley fever, its effect on a person's health, the high cost of treatment and the length of time in diagnosis of the disease. Late diagnosis causes permanent damage to all organs, bones and muscle tissue.

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Posted Nov. 13, 2012 at 12:01 AM

Posted Nov. 13, 2012 at 12:01 AM

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Recently, The Record published several articles on valley fever, its effect on a person's health, the high cost of treatment and the length of time in diagnosis of the disease. Late diagnosis causes permanent damage to all organs, bones and muscle tissue.

I had valley fever in 1993. It took 4 1/2 months to diagnose. Many old timers told me early on, "You have valley fever." I told doctors to maybe test for this.

After several more months of expensive and sometimes painful tests, doctors concluded indeed it was valley fever. The delay has left me with permanent health problems.

I find it shocking to see after almost 20 years, doctors still follow an unacceptable plan in recognizing the disease. If you have flulike symptoms that last long after conventional treatment, and you live or visited areas that are high risk for valley fever, demand to be tested as soon as possible.

The longer you wait, the more permanent damage you will have, and in some cases, death. Hopefully, The Record's articles will wake these doctors up!

Craig T. Roley

Stockton

I'm confused. In response to an Oct. 7 letter regarding Dallas Braden's behavior and reactions at a community meeting and Record editor Mike Klocke's Sept. 30 column, the letter writer refers to Saul Lewinsky. Who is this person?

I've heard and read work by Saul Alinsky, author of "Rules for Radicals." Alinsky was an American community organizer whose organizing skills were focused on improving living conditions of poor communities throughout North America.

Although I don't approve of Braden's method of protest, I do think that high-profile citizens can move communities to action. If elected officials fail to protect the citizenry, then perhaps the citizenry has to organize to protest loud and clear that "enough is enough."

What every community needs is solid, rational, unselfish leadership. We need leaders who are not swayed by ego, profit and greed, but by what is right and just for all members. To sacrifice basic services and education to enhance a city's physical image is, in my mind, immoral and unacceptable. Stockton is suffering the consequences of these actions.

Linda Whittock

Stockton

» NOTE: The letter writer was referring to Saul Alinsky.

Kudos to San Joaquin Delta College Police Sgt. Mario Vasquez for stopping and preventing a would-be crime on a recent afternoon outside one of the campus buildings. No one would have suspected that the man would have been the suspect if it had not been for Vasquez. The suspect was the spitting image of a regular Delta College student. Thanks to Vasquez's quick thinking and 22 years of experience patrolling, he knew the young man was different. He was wearing a long black coat on a 95 degree day, carrying no backpack, and claimed to be signing up for classes when school had started a month earlier.

Like many teens my age, I will be going to college next year. The action of Vasquez encourages other officers to be aware of such crimes that are common around campuses these days. It also makes students keep a look out for such people.

In the interest of student community safety, you and I can request that the campus police department host a personal safety presentation and seminars periodically to educate students and faculty on safety issues and precautions.

We can also help ourselves by traveling in groups, being aware of our surroundings and keeping a lookout for one another.